Objective To investigate the role of nentrophils in the pathogenesis of psoriasis vulgaris. Methods Neutrophils were isolated from venous blood samples of 25 patients with psoriasis vulgaris (including 13 cases of active psoriasis and 12 cases of inactive psoriasis) as well as 25 normal human con-trols, and cultured. Then, these neutrophils were grouped and treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 100 g/L),CpG-A (50 mg/L), CpG-B (50 mg/L), and RPMI 1640 culture medium, respectively, for 24 hours followed by the collection of culture supematants. Human keratinocytes (HaCaT) were cultured in the presence of su-pematants of treated or untreated nentrophils for 72 hours followed by the detection of cell proliferation with MTT assay. To determine the role of proinflammatory factors, SOD/CAT and monoclonal antibody to IL-8 and TNF-alpha of 400 u/mL were used to pretreat HaCaT cells 1 hour prior to the stimulation with super-natants of neutrophils. Results Compared with culture medium, the supematant of unstimulated neutrophils from normal controls or patients with inactive psoriasis had no significant effect on the proliferation of HaCaT cells (P ＞ 0.05), but that from patients with active psoriasis markedly promoted the proliferation of HaCaT cells (t = 2.41, P < 0.05). ARe, stimulation by LPS, CpG-A and CpG-B, the supematant of active patient-derived neutrophils significantly promoted the proliferation of HaCaT cells compared with that of normal control-derived nentrophils (t = 3.11, 2.89, 2.29, respectively, all P < 0.05). In comparison with tmstimulated neutrophils, the supematant from LPS- and CpG-A stimulated nentrophiles significantly accelerated the pro-liferation of HaCaT cells. Furthermore, the proliferation of HaCaT cells induced by the supematants of LPS-,CpG-A-, CpG-B-stimulated neutrophils from psoriatic patients was statistically suppressed by the pretreat-ment with the monoclonal antibody to IL-8, TNF-alpha and SOD/CAT (all P < 0.05). Conclusions In patients with psoriasis vulgaris, there is an abnormal secretion of IL-8, TNF-alpha and superoxide by neutrophils in peripheral blood, and these proinflammatory factors could promote the proliferation of HaCaT cells.

Objective To investigate the development and dynamic changes of host immune response in DBA/2 mice infected with Plasmodium yoelii 17XL. Methods Female DBA/2 mice were infected by intraperitoneal ( i. p. ) injection of 106 P. yoelii 17XL parasitized erythrocytes ( PRBC). Levels of IL-12, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10 and P. yoelii 17XL-specific antibody in sera were measured by ELISA. Concentrations of NO in cell supernatants were measured by the Griess reaction. Parasitemia,percentage of mononuclear-macrophages of individual mice were monitored daily, and phagocytosis of mononuclear macrophages was also observed. Results Primary parasitemia in vein blood was developed on day 3 postinfection, which peaked with a level of 46. 9% on day 9. Most mice cleared the infection and survived by day 20 postinfection. From day 6 to day 16, the phagocytosis of PRBC by rodent macrophages was observed on the blood smear. Infected mice had a continuously increased level of IL-12 in serum from day 1 postinfection. Accordingly, high level of IFN-γ was also detected in sera from day 1 postinfection,which peaked on day 6. Infected mice produced higher level of IL-4 and IL-10 in serum on day 6 postinfection, which peaked on day 9 and day 15 postinfection respectively. In addition, splenocytes from infected mice produced significantly higher level of NO on day 6 and 20 postinfection. Level of P. yoelii 17XL-specific IgG was determined in the sera of infected mice with a steadily increased trend after infection, which peaked on day 70 postinfection. Conclusions Effective polarizing of Thl cells is significant in inhibition of parasitemia and eventual clearance of the Plasmodium parasites. Activated mononuclear-macrophages play a key role in inhibiting parasitemia in the early phase of infection with P. yoelii 17XL.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Burns ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Epidermal Growth Factor ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Recombinant Proteins ; therapeutic use ; Wound Healing ; drug effects ; Young Adult

Aged ; Coronary Artery Bypass, Off-Pump ; methods ; Coronary Artery Disease ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

BACKGROUND:Simvastatin enhanced the expression of bone morphogenetic protein-2(BMP-2),which plays an anabolic role in bone metabolism and osteoblastic lineage differentiation.However,little is known about the molecular mechanism of simvastatin on regulation of bone marrow stromal cells differentiation.OBJECTIVE:To investigated the effect of simvastatin on osteoblastic differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells based on genetics level.METHODS:Bone marrow stromal cells derived from femur and tibia were cultured in different mediums with simvastatin or Vehicle for 7 days Following extraction and purification,mRNA was reverse-transcripted into cDNA.Fluorescence labelina was employed and the samples were then hybridized with oligonucleotide chip to screen the different genes,which were utillzed to analyze osteogenesis-related factors.Alkaline phosphatase and Von Kossa staining were performed at days 14 and 21,respectively.RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS:At day 14,alkaline phosphatase-positive cells were more in the experimental group than control group.Von Kossa staining demonstrated that simvastatin could promote BMSCs osteoblastic differentiation and mineralization.Comparative analysis showed that 103 genes out of 22 575 rat genes had differential expression (≥2 fold or≤ 0.5 fold),and some genes were related to cell proliferation and ostoeblastic differentiation,including C/EBP δ,Cited,Ascl2,Ptpnl6,Wisp2,Tieg,etc.Simvastatin could induce osteoblastic differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells,involving in many osteogenetic-related genes.

Objective To explore the ultrasound performance and related factors on the role of normal living rabbit's liver by laser ablation. Methods The rabbit's liver tissue were ablated by Echolaser integrated laser interventional ultrasound system, and the necrosis of the lesion and performance of pathology and anatomy were observed. Results The outline of the lesion was ellipse like. The two-dimensional US showed regular hyperecho area in the center, mild strong echo in the peripheral and mild attenuation backward. Contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) showed a filling defect of contrast media in the ablated area. After dissection, the center of the lesion was slag-like carbon, the peripheral was necrosis area; HE staining showed: the center of the lesion was cavity like and dye-free,peripheral area was irregular red staining, the surrounding area was infiltrative inflammatory cells. Different power and time leaded to differences of the ablative effect and lesion size:the more power and time,the bigger of the ablative size. The ablative effect and lesion size was stable in 3 W 10 min and 5 W 6 min groups and caused the complete necrosis of the zone, there existed statistical differences among the two groups. Conclusions Laser ablation can cause fast, precise, effective and safe necrosis of the liver tissue, and the more power and time, the bigger of the ablative size.

Objective To investigate the effect of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) on inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), especially angiogenesis. Methods The presence of NETs in synovial tissues of RA and osteoarthritis (OA) was observed by immunofluorescence assay. Neutrophils were isolated from peripheral blood of health volunteers. Neutrophils were cultured in vitro, the formation of NETs was observed. NETs were extracted as a stimulating agent. The effects of NETs on the proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and synovial fibroblasts (RAFLS) were evaluated by MTT, and which were classified into two groups: HUVECs group and RAFLS group, with the following treatment: control and NETs (0.28 mg/L). Wound repair assay was employed to evaluate the effect on the cell migration stimulated with NETs. The experiment was divided into three groups:control, VEGF (40μg/L VEGF) and NETs (0.28 mg/L NETs). Results (1) Compared with OA, NETs were found more in the synovial tissue of RA. (2) NETs formation was induced by stimulator in vitro. The concentration of extracted NETs-DNA was 27.8 mg/L. (3) MTT assay showed that compared with the control groups, low concentration of NETs (0.28 mg/L) promoted the proliferation of HUVECs (0.499 ± 0.011 vs. 0.393 ± 0.009, P<0.05) and RAFLS (0.266 ± 0.007 vs. 0.192 ± 0.007, P<0.05). (4) It was showed that a significant wound closure induced by low concentration of NETs (0.28 mg/L) was found compared with control. Conclusion Our present study suggests that NETs are found more in the synovial tissue of RA, and low concentration of NETs can promote angiogenesis in RA.

Objective To identify hepatitis C virus(HCV)-specific cytotoxicity T lymphocytes (CTL)epitopes by the combination of T epitopes prediction software and in vitro assays.Methods HCVspecific CTL epitopes were predicted by T epitope prediction software Rankpep and then candidate HCV-specific CTL epitopes were selected.Candidate HCV-specific CTL epitopes were used to stimulate PBMC of HCV-infected patients and healthy volunteers.and then enzyme-linked immunospot(ELISPOT)and intracellular cytokine staining(ICS)were used to measure the frequencies of IFN-γ-producing cells in total PBMC and the percentages of IFN-γ+CD8+T cells in total CD8+T cells,respectively.Results Five candidate CTL epitopes[NS3 450(TVPQDAVSR),NS3 594(GPTLLYRL),Ns4b 78(sMMAFSAAL),NS5a 416(SEENVSVVF)and NS5a 367(TVSSALAEL)]were used to stimulate PBMC of ten HCV-infected patients and two healthy volunteers.PBMC of seven HCV-infected patients secreted IFN-γ while PBMC of healthy volunteers did not produce IFN-γ.The frequencies of peptide-specific IFN-γ-producing cells ranged from 5 to 36 SFC/105 PBMC and the percentages of peptide-specific IFN-γ+CD8+T cells ranged from 0.02%-0.25%.Conclusion Resuhs of ELISPOT assay and ICS assay confirm that these five peptides NS3 450,NS3 594,NS4b 78,NS5a 416 and NS5a 367 are identified as Hovel HCV-specific CTL epitopes.

This study was carried out to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and free radical scavenging activities of flavans from flex centrochinensis S. Y. Hu in vitro and their structure-activity relationship. LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage was used as inflammatory model. MTT assay for cell availability, Griess reaction for nitric oxide (NO) production, the content of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6 and PGE, were detected with ELISA kits; DPPH, superoxide anion and hydroxyl free radicals scavenging activities were also investigated. According to the result, all flavans tested exhibited anti-inflammatory effect in different levels. Among them, compounds 1, 3, 4 and 6 showed potent anti-inflammatory effect through the inhibition of NO, TNF-alpha, IL-lp and IL-6, of which 1 was the most effective inhibitor, however, 2 and 5 were relatively weak or inactive. The order of free radical scavenging activities was similar to that of anti-inflammatory activities. Therefore, these results suggest that 3, 4 and 6, especially of 1, were,in part responsible for the anti-inflammatory and free radical scavenging activity of Ilex centrochinensis. Hydroxyl group at 4'-position of B-ring plays an important role in the anti-inflammatory and free radical scavenging capacities.
Animals ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Cell Line ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; immunology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Flavanones ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Free Radical Scavengers ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Ilex ; chemistry ; Interleukin-6 ; immunology ; Macrophages ; drug effects ; immunology ; Mice ; Nitric Oxide ; immunology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; immunology

Humans ; Neck Injuries ; therapy ; Vertebral Artery ; injuries ; Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency